The Queens Head Public House Woburn

The Queen's Head Public House (previously The Plough Inn): Woburn

This establishment is known only from some eighteenth century references. Licensees of the Plough are mentioned in the register of dues owed to the Vicar of Woburn for premises in the parish between 1710 and 1740 [P118/3/1]. One of these references notes that the property was damaged in the great fire in Woburn in 1724. The Plough is also mentioned in some references to billeting in Quarter Sessions and in the Woburn parish registers.

The Plough seems to have changed its name to the Queen's Head in 1735, when Thomas Gurney became licensee, but to have closed between about 1736 and 1739, reopening briefly in 1740 then closing for good.

A deed of 1724 refers to a piece of land in Woburn which had previously had a tenement standing on it called the Plough and Wheatsheaf until that building was destroyed in the fire that year. It is unclear what relationship, if any, this building had to the Plough Inn.

List of Sources:

• P118/3/1: parochial dues: 1709-1796 [[1710-1740] entry for 1725 notes that it was damaged in the great fire of 1724];
• QSR1727/100: baggage of Queen's Own Dragoons to be conveyed from inn: 20 Nov 1727;
• P118/1/2: burial of poor stranger who died at inn: 2nd December 1733;
• P118/1/2: baptism of Joseph, son of Joseph [surname not given] of inn: 9th April 1734.

List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:

1710-1713: John Burgess;
1718-1732: Richard Fisher [burned 1724-1726];
1732-1734: William Whitebread;
1735: Thomas Gurney;
1736-1739: empty;
1740: John Geary